Seek “a Word” from the Lord

The Battle Belongs to the Lord: Overcoming Life's Struggles Through Worship
by Joyce Meyer

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It was told Jehoshaphat, A great multitude has come against you from beyond the [Dead] Sea, from Edom; and behold they are in Hazazon-tamar, which is En-gedi.

Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself [determinedly, as his vital need] to seek the Lord; he proclaimed a fast in all Judah.

2 CHRONICLES 20:2,3

When Jehoshaphat was told that the “-ites” were coming against him, the first thing he did was fear. But then he did something else: He set himself to seek the Lord. Determined to hear from Him, he even proclaimed a fast throughout the land for that very purpose. He knew he needed to hear from God. He needed a battle plan, and only God could give him one that was sure to succeed.

We should develop the habit of running to God when we have trouble instead of to people. We should seek God rather than our own minds or other people's minds. Ask yourself, “When trouble comes, do I run to the phone or the throne?” God might direct us to a person for advice, but we should always go to Him first to show that we honor and trust Him.

Phase 1 of God's battle plan is to combat fear by hearing from God. Romans 10:17 teaches us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (NKJV). This verse is not referring to the written Word of God, but the spoken Word of God. It is called rhema in the original language of the New Testament, which is Greek. In other words when we hear from God, faith fills our hearts and drives the fear away. Jehoshaphat knew he had to hear from God, and we have the same need.

God may speak by giving us peace deep inside of us; He may give a creative idea; He may calm our troubled emotions; He may give us assurance. God speaks in various ways, but if we seek Him we will find Him. He will lead us and guide us if we acknowledge Him in all our ways. (Proverbs 3:5,6.)

Everyone you know may be telling you to trust God, and you want to, but “how to” has evaded you. The fears are screaming at you, threatening you. Your friends are saying, “Everything will be all right,” but somehow it doesn't penetrate the fear until God speaks deep in your heart and says, “You can trust Me; I will take care of this; everything is going to be all right.”

In 1989 I went to the doctor for a regular checkup. He discovered a small lump in my breast and wanted me to go immediately for a biopsy. I went thinking it would be nothing, but the outcome was that I had a very fast growing type of cancer, and surgery was highly recommended immediately.

I can remember walking down the hall in my house, and fear hitting me so strongly that I felt like I was going to fall down. My knees would actually feel as if they were going to buckle under me. Every night when I went to bed, I had a hard time going to sleep. Even when I did sleep, it was not a good, solid, restful sleep; it was a fitful sleep. Every so often I would wake up, and there the fears would be pounding at my mind.

“Cancer” is a word that comes with great fear. No matter how many of my family members or friends told me God would take care of it, I was still battling fear until one of those nights about three o'clock in the morning when God spoke deep inside of my heart and said, “Joyce, you can trust Me.” After that, I did not experience the sickening fear again. I was apprehensive as I waited for the results from my lymph nodes test to see if I would need further treatment, but I still knew that I was in God's hands and whatever happened, He would take care of me.

As it turned out, I did not need any further treatment. We actually realized that through early detection, God had saved my life. I ended up thankful instead of fearful, and Satan lost another battle.

JEHOSHAPHAT NEEDED TO HEAR FROM GOD

When Jehoshaphat heard that a huge army was amassing to attack Judah, he knew what to do. He needed to set himself to seek - not the advice of people - his friends, family or advisors - but to hear from God.

Jehoshaphat had probably been involved in other battles previously - why couldn't he just use some of the same methods he used before? No matter how many times something has worked in the past, it may not work to solve the current crisis unless God anoints it afresh. He may anoint an old method, but He may also give us fresh direction we have never had before. We must look to God not to methods. He does use methods, but they have no power unless He is working through them. We cannot focus on methods anymore than we can on fears. Our focus, our source of supply must be God and Him alone. Our answer is not in methods but in relationship with God.

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses and trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but they look not to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek and consult the Lord!

ISAIAH 31:1

I have never discovered exactly what “woe” is, but I know I don't want any of it. Woe is obviously a sorrowful thing; it is trouble and misery. When we seek God we have peace and joy, so why would we choose woe resulting from seeking the world?

Copyright © 2002 by Joyce Meyer

About the Author

JOYCE MEYER has been teaching the Word of God since 1976 and in full-time ministry since 1980. She is the bestselling author of more than fifty inspirational books, including How to Hear from God, Knowing God Intimately, and Battlefield of the Mind. She has also released thousands of teaching cassettes and a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences.